


Versace Summer

by greyquill



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: But we love him for it, Canon Compliant, Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten is a Tease, Dorks in Love, Featuring Johnny as best wingman, Flirting, Lee Taeyong is Whipped, M/M, Pre-Debut NCT, Pre-Relationship, taeten is life, taeten is love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27667249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyquill/pseuds/greyquill
Summary: “You ok, hyung?”“Yes! I’m fine, Tenie!”Ten smiles, amused. If Taeyong were any wiser, he’d think Ten is purposefully messing with him and his heart rate, but Ten is too innocent for something like that… right?~~~Alternatively: Taeyong is a gay little shit for Ten just like the rest of us.
Relationships: Lee Taeyong/Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten
Comments: 24
Kudos: 104





	Versace Summer

It isn’t often that he’s dragged away from the practice rooms, especially for a “super fun” activity, according to Johnny and Mark. He’s got a reputation among the trainees after all, of a stupid past and a steady rise to success. He’s sure to debut, someday. His face guarantees him that much.

Which is why he locks himself away in any free practice room he can, whenever he can. He doesn’t want to debut for his looks alone, he wants to prove he’s more than that. That he can be the best dancer and rapper, even if those two skills are in need of a lot of honing.

He’s close with the other SM Rookies and with the very, very few trainees that warm up to him despite his cold demeanor and past of horrid acts that will surely follow him like a shadow. He’s trying to change. He can make a change. And he can only hope he’ll be someone people won’t be ashamed of looking up to.

The address Johnny texts him is of a studio owned by the company. A studio filled with dorm-like rooms and utilities, like the ones the artists use to film activities for their fans. He wonders if he missed some SM Rookies activity on his schedule as he climbs the stairs to the designated room in the text. The door is locked when he arrives and after knocking, Johnny pokes his head through a sliver, smiling when he sees him and shaking his head to get his bangs off his face.

“Hey, you made it.”

“Yeah. Are we filming? I didn’t bring any extra clothes,” he frowns, gesturing at his sweatpants and tank top.

“Nah. We’re not filming,” Johnny grins. He really can’t tell if he’s excited for whatever he has planned or if it means something else. He’s always had trouble figuring out his tall friend. Johnny steps aside, letting him in.

The room behind Johnny is nearly blindingly white. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to all the sunlight shining into the room from the windows to the right, all that light reflecting and bouncing off the white design of the room. White counters, cupboards, paint, silver appliances, bleached brown stools and utensils make up a kitchen. The other half of the room is a living room with a comfier design, yet still following the color palette. A hall between the two leads off somewhere.

He steps in and as Johnny closes the door, his breath leaves his body. His soul seemingly stuck outside. He is a sarcophagus of meat and skin and blood and nothing else. What does it matter anyway, if _he’s_ here.

Mark paces back and forth, taking out bowls and cutting boards from the cabinets and two grocery bags from his duffel bag sitting up on the island counter. He’s smiling and laughing along in English with the one person that shakes Taeyong down to his very core. 

_He wasn’t told he’d be here!_

Flirtatious smile on dark pink lips, perfectly curved nose, idents in his cheeks that appear when he grins or laughs especially hard, and eyes that are almost always smiling, like he knows a joke you don’t and probably won’t understand, and yet they still seem so innocent, so wide and curious of the world. Those eyes deserve only to rest in all the beauty and happiness and love the earth has to offer.

Johnny pats his shoulder, “Mark invited him to come along last minute.”

Taeyong can’t tell if he’s lying or not, couldn’t be able to tell in his state anyway, stomach knotting up and butterflies erupting from the spaces in between, filling him with equal parts anxiety and exhilaration. His breath catches in his throat again when _he_ does look up, finally noticing him there.

His smile falters, his eyes grow curious, maybe slightly guarded, his posture changes. Taeyong can tell when he isn’t wanted around, but Johnny’s arm around his shoulders keeps him from turning and leaving. Instead, he’s led over to the counter, closer to his doom.

“TY Track! Hyung! I’m glad you came. You spend too much time practicing, hyung. It’s good to get out…” Mark quiets, noticing the tenseness in the air.

Taeyong grits his jaw and lets it go after a moment, setting his backpack down to fall between the stools. _He has to be better._

“Thank you for inviting me, but how did you get permission to use this place? We could’ve done whatever we’re doing back at the dorms, right?”

“Blackmail,” Johnny snickers, says it in English before switching back to Korean. “I have my ways, Yong. And, yeah, we could’ve done this at the dorms, but the oven has been acting up and no one’s come to fix it yet.”

“What do we need the oven for?”

“We’re making garlic bread, hyung!” Mark smiles, gesturing at all the ingredients and utensils he has set out.

“Like Italian garlic bread?”

“Yup! Like pizza crust. Anyway, we should get started. We don’t have a lot of time to be here.” Johnny claps his hands and switches back to English as he walks over to the sink, pulling up the sleeves of his hoodie. It’s summer and he still insists on dressing like that.

Mark and Johnny speak a mixture of English and Korean as they start on making the garlic bread. Ten has remained silent since he arrived, though he’ll occasionally join in on whatever Johnny and Mark are talking about. Not that he blames him for the sort of cold shoulder. He knows Ten’s Korean isn’t quite completely there yet (though he has come far) and they’re often neck to neck when it comes to evaluations. It’s only logical that they not be as buddy buddy as the other rookies are.

Maybe he’s heard the gossip too…

Taeyong shakes his head and returns his attention to his bowl. He’s in charge of kneading the dough every few minutes while the other three make the garlic butter sauce over the stove. He doesn’t think that many people are needed to do it, but Ten is sticking to Mark and Johnny, whoever is furthest away from him.

He sighs, raising his shoulder to wipe the sweat starting to bead on the side of his face. He really doesn’t want any getting in the dough. He feels another rolling down past his cheek, fast towards his chin. A cloth catches it before he can even react and he glances to the side to see the object of his affections, smiling shyly, kindly, charmingly (though Taeyong thinks that last one is unintentional.)

“Careful, hyung,” Ten says and dabs at his temple, before returning to Johnny’s side like he didn’t just knock his world off its axis.

He fights the burning on his cheeks and returns his attention to the dough, squished beneath his knuckles. He hears Johnny and Ten whispering faintly, can feel their glances on him. Mark comes up to him before he can even begin to try and figure out what they’re talking about.

“Hyung, I think that’s enough.” Mark smiles, taking the bowl when Taeyong removes his hands. “Thank you.”

Taeyong slides onto one of the stools, plopping down, watching from the side as Mark sets the dough out on a cutting board. His brow furrows, tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips as he works on separating the dough to form balls that fit in the palm of his hand. He watches him struggle for a moment and then moves to sit directly across from him, helping him with the mass of dough until they have 16 little off-yellow balls.

Off to the side, Ten helps Johnny scrape out the buttery garlic sauce from the pan and into a bowl. Johnny brings the bowl close and Mark sets the balls of dough into the bowl, one at a time, before placing them on the cooking sheet. Ten joins Taeyong’s side of the counter to watch Mark and Johnny work, occasionally he’ll chuckle at whatever they’re saying.

They’re speaking English again, and Taeyong wishes he’d taken up Johnny’s offer a while back to start learning the foreign language. He doesn’t feel too left out though, smiling along at their grinning faces. Training constantly every day in a place far from home can and absolutely will wear anyone down to the bone, but he’s glad that his friends have each other to rely upon.

Mark sets the sheet in the oven and presses on his phone, starting his timer. Johnny claps his hands together, brushing off invisible dust. “Alright, it should be ready in half an hour—” he gasps and slaps a hand to his forehead—“We forgot to buy drinks!”

“What? No, we didn—”

Johnny slaps a hand over Mark’s mouth, hooking an arm over his shoulders, “Come with me, Mark. Taeyong, you want red tea?”

“Yes, please. Do you need money?”

Johnny grins, “Nah. They’re on me this time. You and Ten stay here and watch the bread, ok?” He leads a muffled Mark over to the door, nudging him out first. “We’ll be right back.” He waves goodbye and steps out, closing the door.

And with that, Taeyong is left alone with Ten. He glances over at him. Their eyes meet and they blush pink as they both look away quickly. Unbeknownst to the other, their hearts are racing at the same rate, excitement in the form of warmth balling in their cores.

He hears Ten mutter something under his breath and wonders for a second if maybe it would have been better if Ten went along with Mark and Johnny. It’s so quiet, like the entirety of the room is holding its breath. He sees Ten set his phone down on the counter from his peripheral and then startles when he feels the younger sidle up to him, press into his side.

“Hyung.” Ten smiles brightly.

“Hm?”

“Are you alright? You look kind of pale, hyung.”

Taeyong has to bite his tongue. Ten really doesn’t know how cute he is, or maybe he does and he just loves torturing people. He tilts his head to the side, smiling innocently.

“Hyung?”

“Fine! I-I’m fine…”

Ten smiles brightly once again and Taeyong thinks he really should be over it already, but he’s so not, his heart reminds him.

“Johnny-hyung told me he was gonna invite you. I didn’t think you would accept. You’re always working hard, hyung,” Ten looks away, his cheeks dusted with pink, or were they already pink? “But I’m glad you came!”

Taeyong quirks a brow, “I didn’t do much though.”

Ten clicks his tongue and bumps their shoulders together, “Hyung, it’s not about that.” He pauses, mulling over his words, before the crease leaves his eyebrows. “Your presence is enough. I like it when you’re around.”

“We’re back!” Mark announces loudly from the door, followed by a bag-laden Johnny, which Taeyong is eternally grateful for. He doesn’t think he’d be able to explain away his burning red cheeks so easily if it were just him and Ten in the room.

…

He absolutely does not obsess over Ten’s words for the next week. Alone in the dimly lit practice rooms, dancing on his own, watching and correcting his reflection, the smile and accented voice keep him company. The evening replays in his mind until he’s making up his own choreography to the beat of his heart, lifted and swelling with emotion. The strain of his muscles, the sores developing in his feet, the bags under his eyes, they don’t stand a chance against the adrenaline.

Which is why he’s a little more enthusiastic about accepting Johnny’s invitation for another outing. It’s the peak of summer and the city is hot and loud. Taeyong doesn’t even bother asking how and why they’re able to get away to a beach for the day, Ten will be going with them after all.

The sun, shining bright overhead, warms his skin as he pulls his shirt over his head. Beside him, Mark is squealing as Johnny holds him in place to slather him with sunscreen.

“Hyung! Really— It’s cold!”

“Quit moving,” Johnny chuckles, rubbing in the cream until it isn’t a white paste on Mark’s skin. Mark whines in his throat and runs away towards the waters when Johnny finally lets him go. “Kids, amirite?”

Taeyong giggles, “Yeah…”

Johnny pulls his shirt off and passes it to Taeyong to tuck away in their shared backpack. “Help me put some on?”

Taeyong takes the sunscreen bottle and squirts some out onto his hand before rubbing it into Johnny’s back and shoulders.

“Doyoung and Jae were supposed to come too,” Johnny murmurs. Seagulls call overhead.

“Maybe they got caught up?”

“Maybe.”

He puts away the sunscreen when he’s done, rubbing some on himself before Johnny can offer to do the same for him.

“How long do we have anyway?” Taeyong holds a hand up, his gaze drifting up, squinting to see the very few speckled white clouds on the light blue plain above.

“We have till that giant star is tucking in behind the horizon.”

He glances at Johnny with wide eyes, “Really?”

“Mhm! I brought waters and—” he gestures with a head nod down the road—“there’s a convenience store that way. We can pick up some dosirak when we get hungry.” Johnny grins at Taeyong’s wide eyes, “Yeah, I know, I know. I’m super smart.”

Taeyong giggles, “You are.”

“Hey! You guys getting in or not?!”

The air is knocked out of Taeyong’s lungs. Ten, dripping wet and smiling wide enough to rival the sun, comes running up to them in his bright yellow trunks.

“We’re coming,” Johnny rolls his eyes and shoves at Taeyong’s shoulder. “Race you!” He yells over his shoulder as he takes off towards the waters. Ten turns tail, giggling, eyes creasing into those lovely crescents as he follows beside Johnny, keeping up with his wide stride.

It takes a moment for Taeyong to react and run after them, one thought slips into his consciousness as his feet carry him towards the ocean waves.

_I wish he’d smile at me that way._

They play all day, swimming, getting pushed and pulled by the waves until they’re hungry and permanently warmed from the sun. They trudge out and grab their things, walking along the shore towards where the store is. By then, they’re dry and any sand sticking to them is flicked away with a swat of a shirt. They buy their drinks and lunch and eat in the shade of the building before returning to their spot to do it all over again.

By the time the sun has become less harsh and is nearly touching the horizon, Taeyong is too tired to keep playing in the water and retires to the sand, laying down on a beach towel. Johnny and Mark keep wading around. Mark hunches over the clear waters, trying to catch the tiny fish moving around him as Johnny chuckles fondly at his attempts and snaps pictures. He assumes Ten is with them which is why he can’t help the squeak that leaves his lips when a warm weight drops into the spot beside him on the small towel.

He opens his eyes to a dream, smiling pink lips, mischievous brown eyes, wet, tousled hair. “Hi, mind if I sit with you, hyung?”

Taeyong sits up immediately and coughs out a response that isn’t really in any language but Ten smiles anyway and cozies up to him, pressed arm to arm, shoulder to shoulder. They sit in silence a moment, listening to Mark’s exasperated laughter, the waves as they keep crawling back and forth over the sandy shore, the few seagulls that stuck around.

“Thanks for coming with us today, hyung… It was my idea to come out here. I thought you could use a break,” Ten smiles shyly at him, hugging his knees to his chest.

Taeyong blushes pink and doesn’t quite know what to say to that, except—“I’m happy you guys invited me. I like spending time with you.” 

Complete honesty… maybe too much honesty. Ten smiles wider, “I like spending time with you too, hyung.”

A million scenarios play out in his head, most of them entail charming bravado and tipping the pretty honey-skinned boy beside him down to the towel to kiss him silly. Maybe he really has been watching too many dramas.

Ten studies his expression for a moment before smiling to himself and looking back towards the ocean, his chin on his knees. Maybe this reality is better than the scenarios he comes up with because all those only have dream Ten. This Ten sitting next to him is the real deal.

“Do you miss home?”

Ten turns to him with surprise in his eyes, “Woah, suddenly, hyung?”

Taeyong blushes pink, “Sorry… Doyoung kind of mentioned to me… about how much you like the water.”

Ten spares him and grins, returning his attention to the waves and Johnny and Mark chasing each other. “Yeah, I miss home often… but I like being here too. Every day is exciting even if we’re just training. It’s fun with everyone.”

And by everyone, Taeyong knows he means the rest of the rookies. He has to admit that they’re all really tight-knit, maybe even as close as groups that have already debuted.

“Have you been asking about me, hyung?” Ten smirks up at him, nudging him with his leg.

Tongue-tied, utterly and completely.

Ten laughs at his expression, “Hyung! You can always just ask me—” he lowers his voice to a murmur, leaning close—“I promise I don’t bite.”

Some god has mercy on Taeyong before he really does turn into the first human-tomato hybrid or worse, act on impulse and kiss that teasing smirk off of Ten’s face. Johnny comes trudging up to them with Mark trailing not far behind. “I think I’ve had enough beach for today. Ready to go home?”

Ten hops up with a wide smile, almost into Johnny’s arms, “Yes, hyung!”

Mark helps Ten gather their things as Johnny pulls Taeyong to his feet. “You ok?” His slim giant of a friend murmurs, “You’re being quieter than usual.”

“I’m ok… just wanna get home.”

Johnny smiles, pats his back as he looks for his shirt in his backpack. “Ok.”

…

After that, they don’t get many chances to hang out again. And Taeyong is left with regret… for what? Not confessing or making a move? He has to remind himself many times that homosexuality is still very much frowned upon and the lengths some people will go to make their displeasure known. He doesn’t want any of that harm, however minimal it may be, to come to Ten. So he’ll bottle it all up until… until he can release the tension some other way.

He stays admiring Ten. In their practice rooms, the way he moves from fluid choreographed moves to precise freestyles however playful they may be. The way he draws out the laughter of everyone, even from his polar opposite, Kim Doyoung. The way his Korean becomes better and better, bantering with all of them when he can.

He wouldn’t call what he feels love, not quite, but he does feel a special fondness for Ten, not for his beauty and stunning smile, but for his resilience and motivation, for the way he grows each day. He wishes to be able to see him continue to grow long into the future.

Which is why he’s thankful for the sudden change in pace, his schedule keeps him busy, because without it, he doesn’t know how he’d stop himself from pseudo-confessing to Ten.

And then fate bonks him over the head with a sledgehammer.

“Hyung! We’re roommates now!” Ten comes into his room, pulling a suitcase along, a backpack and a duffel bag slung over each shoulder.

“W-We are?”

“Mhm! Nice room. It’s so clean. As expected of you, hyung,” Ten smiles brightly. Taeyong feels his resolve crumbling like a sandcastle in a hurricane. “Which is your bed?”

Taeyong gestures at the bunk bed on the right, “That one’s free. Do you need help unpacking?”

Fortunately for him, Ten isn’t disturbed at all by his creepy question and shakes his head no as he sets his bags down. “Thank you, hyung.” He chuckles, “I promise I don’t snore or anything.”

Taeyong bites his tongue to keep from confessing that he’d love having Ten around even if he were an absolute slob. He clears his throat and scuffs his slippers, “I’m gonna be in the kitchen.”

“Ok! Don’t mind me, hyung!” Ten smiles at him again and returns to digging through his bags, setting his clothes out.

Taeyong nods jerkily and turns on his heel, out of his room. _THEIR_ room, his mind corrects. He finds a skillet, some white bread, garlic, and parsley and butter (thanks to Johnny). In his Ten-induced panic, he decides making garlic bread is the best course of action. By the time he has his garlic butter spread made and slathered graciously onto the bread slices, the skillet is nice and warmed on the stove.

The first two slices sizzle slightly, the aroma of garlic and butter rising into the air. The dorm is filled with not much else, quiet save for a distinct shuffling of slippers.

“Hyung, where is everybody?”

“I think they went out…” 

He tears his eyes away from Ten as soon as he looks at him. His horny underdeveloped monkey brain overwhelmed with the domesticity of Ten in a tank top and pajama shorts. He could easily pretend he’s making his love some toast on their day off, their children fast asleep in their rooms, maybe a cat or two hidden away in their own corners of the house—

_Taeyong, no!_

He sets the pieces of toast on a plate and sets the plate in the middle of their meager white kitchen counter. He turns back to the fridge, “Do you want cola or tea?”

“Tea, please.” 

Taeyong and Ten sit at either end of the counter, sharing pieces of buttery, toasted garlic bread over bottles of tea. Afternoon sun streams in, making Ten’s lips appear glossy, really just buttered up from their snack. Taeyong catches himself staring way too many times and wonders every time if Ten noticed when he sees him smiling.

“This is really good, hyung.”

“Thanks… I like cooking.”

“Really? What’s your favorite thing to make?”

“My favorite thing to make is—” _you smile—_ “desserts.”

Ten smiles, “I knew you’d say that.” Taeyong blushes pink and smiles a little. “Your spouse is gonna be a lucky person.” Taeyong coughs, cheeks burning.

“You ok, hyung?” Ten reaches and rests a hand against his forearm leaning on the counter.

Taeyong is ignited. “Yes! I’m fine, Tenie!”

Ten smiles, amused, and picks up the empty plate, carrying it over to the sink. If Taeyong were any wiser, he’d think Ten is purposefully messing with him and his heart rate, but Ten is too innocent for something like that… right?

“What are you gonna do, hyung?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Are you busy?”

Taeyong quirks a brow, Ten is still standing by the sink but his hands are resting behind his back with a little glint in his eyes that he doesn’t recognize but excites him all the same.

“No, I’m not.”

Ten smiles brightly and grabs his wrist, leading him towards the dorm’s meager living area. “Hang out with me!”

And Taeyong is still having a meltdown from the simple gesture that all he can manage is a squeak when Ten pushes him down onto the couch. He lands on his back, propped against the arm and some cushions. Ten slinks down into the empty space beside him, cuddling into his side.

_Is this really happening?_

“T-Ten, what are you doing?”

Ten looks up at him with an innocent wide-eyed pout, “Cuddling? Johnny told me you do it with people you want to get closer to—” one of his hands, the one adorned with simple black bracelets, inches over his abdomen and rests there—“Is this ok, hyung?”

Taeyong might just wring Johnny’s neck.

“Hyung?”

“It’s ok.”

Ten smiles wide and curls into his chest, hugging his waist, pressed completely to him so he won’t fall off the couch.

Or he may just vow to serve Johnny in any way he can for getting him into this situation.

“We can pretend we don’t have anything to do, hyung,” Ten murmurs. “We can sleep all day.”

Taeyong doesn’t bother telling him they’ll have to get up sooner or later, but nothing compares to the soft little sigh Ten lets out when he wraps a tentative arm around the younger. 

He may be dead before he debuts because of Ten’s cuteness, but at least he’ll die a happy man. He smiles a little and closes his eyes, drifting asleep with Ten tucked into his side, naturally.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ok, this one was brought to you by Jank's [Versace Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVpsp0vA0eQ)  
> I had started writing it while I was going through a bit of a low point and only recently finished with when my motivation is at a low, which sucks because I'm getting so many amazing ideas and I really really wanna share them with y'all, but my brain doesn't wanna cooperate and write.
> 
> my brain: another taeten idea!  
> me: great! let's write it!  
> my brain: I don wanna :)
> 
> Anyway, I hope y'all liked this and I hope you're all doing alright and staying safe and well! I hope whatever you're going through, whether it be school or work or whatever, that it's going ok. I know you're doing your best even if you don't think so :)
> 
> [that one blue bird app](https://twitter.com/Greyquill8) and [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/Greyquill8?t=1569799700)


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